DEM opens Bissel Cove to shellfishing

The Department of Environmental Management announced on Friday that it will open the Bissel Cove-Fox Island shellfishing management area in North Kingstown to shellfishing effective Monday. In response to a request from the RI Shellfishermen’s Association, the area will be open Monday through Friday from 8am to noon until further notice.

The area, originally slated to open on a limited basis in December for winter harvesting, is being opened early to give shellfishermen a place to work while the Narragansett Bay recovers from the effects of the recent rains which have closed much of the rest of the bay to shellfishing.

“The action reflects the the department’s ability to employ adaptive management techniques to accommodate the needs of the industry while maintaining sound resource protection,” said W. Michael Sullivan, DEM director.

If the bay recovers by next week, DEM will likely re-close the Bissel Cove area until the original December timeframe, the release said.

On Thursday, certain areas of Narragansett Bay, namely, south of Prudence Island, portions of the Sakonnet River and Ninigret and Potters ponds re-opened to shellfishing.

In addition, all waters south of a line in the West Passage from the easterly point at Lone Tree Point in North Kingston to northern tip of Jamestown opened. Also, in the Sakonnet River, all waters south of a line from the easterly tip of McCorrie Point in Portsmouth to the westernmost extremity of Sapowet Point in Tiverton are open.

Due to extreme sewage overflows and stormwater runoff experienced during the recent storm emergency, DEM, last Saturday closed most bay waters of the state and all south coastal ponds to shellfishing.

The original closure areas include all waters north of Black Point to Beavertail Point to Brenton Point, and all waters north of Sachuest Point to Sakonnet Point, also, all waters from Point Judith to Watch Hill, including all coast ponds. These areas remain closed.

DEM maintains a recorded telephone information line 222-2900, with the most updated information on shellfish closures.